Sandy beaches are where the land and ocean meet. They are also where people like to meet for countless different activities and, as a result, are among the most challenging places to balance the needs of people and the environment.
Human Activities
Oil & Gas
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The status and trends of offshore oil and gas activity in southern California was measured using a normalized index of oil and gas production from offshore wells in state and federal waters in California. Activity has been stable over the last five years, but the short-term average was well below the long-term average (dashed green line). A rather steady decrease in oil and gas production has occurred since the mid-1990s. Data source: B. Owens/CDFW; Figure credit: NOAA. For more information, consult Figure App.C.4.17 in the CINMS 2016 Condition Report.
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Oil & Gas Maps
2015 Refugio Oil Spill
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Diagonal black lines cover the area where oil sheen was observed after the 2015 Refugio Oil Spill. The dark black line indicates the short-term fishery closures. See Figures C2.4 and C13.5 for the modeled oil transport, which predicts crude oil reaching sanctuary waters, Santa Rosa, and Santa Cruz islands north-facing beaches days after the spill. For more information, consult Figure App.C.2.3 in the CINMS 2016 Condition Report.
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Modeled oil trajectories based on high frequency (HF) radar and averaged sea surface current vectors during the month of May 2015 (green and blue lines). Yellow triangles represent SCCOOS HF Radar stations, and oil platforms are shown as small gray dots. The HF station at Gaviota was installed immediately after the spill to avoid local data gaps during this critical monitoring time period. It was only active for one and a half months. PTC = Point Conception; RFG = Refugio State Beach; COP = Coal Oil Point; SSD = Summerland Sanitary District; MGS = Mandalay Generating Station; SCI = Santa Cruz Island. Pink lines indicate commercial shipping lanes. The black line encircles the region of interest. For more information, consult Figure App.C.2.4 in the CINMS 2016 Condition Report.
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Daily snapshots of oil transport simulations (blue dots) based on near-real time sea surface current direction and speeds (black arrows) from May 20 to 25, 2015, the days just after the Refugio oil spill. Yellow triangles represent SCCOOS high frequency radar (HFR) observation stations. PTC = Point Conception; RFG = Refugio State Beach; COP = Coal Oil Point. Not pictured is a HFR station at Gaviota, which was temporarily installed for one and half months following the spill (currently no longer active, see http://washburnlab.msi.ucsb.edu/mtu1) to address local data gaps. Not labeled is the yellow triangle/HFR station on Santa Cruz Island. Pink lines indicated commercial shipping lanes. The full oil transport model simulation can be viewed online. For more information, consult Figure App.C.2.5 in the CINMS 2016 Condition Report.
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Vessel Traffic
Map: Vessel Groundings
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Reported vessel grounding locations from 1999 to 2016 are shown in the map above. Not all groundings in the CINMS database are included as coordinates are unavailable for some grounding events. For more information, consult Figure App.C.3.1 in the CINMS 2016 Condition Report.
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Visitors
Trends: Visitors at Frenchy’s Cove
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Annual number of visitors brought to Frenchy’s Cove, Anacapa Island, by the Island Packers Company. At south Frenchy’s Cove and adjacent reefs, Island Packers Company conducts classroom programs for school groups typically during winter and spring months. No records are available for the number of private boaters that went ashore at any of the Channel Islands in the park. For more information, consult Figure App.C.4.8 in the CINMS 2016 Condition Report.
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Map: Location Recreational Activity
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Spatial patterns in coastal recreational activity levels in southern California (all activity types combined). Based on a standing internet panel designed to be demographically representative and surveyed 4,492 individuals in select south coast region counties. Activities at Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary (CINMS) included: beach-going (SRI), scenic enjoyment (SRI, SCI, Anacapa, SBI), photography (SRI, SCI, Anacapa), birdwatching (SRI, SCI, SBI), and hiking (SRI, SCI). For more information, consult Figure App.C.4.7 in the CINMS 2016 Condition Report.
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Trends: Visitors (CHIS)
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Human Impacts
Marine Debris
Trends: Southern California Beaches
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Marine debris estimates modeled along the mainland southern California coast based on debris measured by the National Marine Debris Monitoring Program. Marine debris was relatively constant across the last five years of this time series (1999-2007) and within historic levels. For more information, consult Figure App.C.4.14 in the CINMS 2016 Condition Report.
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Seabird disturbance
Comparison: By Region
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Rates of human-caused disturbance to seabird breeding and roosting sites were low on Santa Cruz Island (SC) compared to other sites across the south coast (SCSR), central coast (CCSR), and north central coast (NCCSR) study regions. Activities noted as causing disturbance at SC in 2012 to 2013 were human power boats, recreational fishing boats, recreational power boats, commercial fishing boats, airplanes, and helicopters. SD = San Diego, PV = Palos Verdes Peninsula, SB = Shell Beach, MD = Montana de Oro, EB = Estero Bluffs, MO = Montara, PR = Point Reyes, BO = Bodega. For more information, consult Figure App.C.4.9 in the CINMS 2016 Condition Report.
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